Electronic Resource Updates

Pratt Institute Libraries subscribe to electronic resources that support the library's mission and adheres to its Collection Development Policy. Most of these resources are proprietary and only available to Pratt's current students, faculty, and staff. 

Types of electronic resources collection may include:

• Indexes to periodical literature and other bibliographical material
• Full-text journals and newspaper databases
• ebooks
• Reference sources
• Online archives 
• Multimedia
• Geospatial Data
• Image databases
• Streaming Video
• Websites

Preferred Selection Criteria

Collection Development/Quality Control

• Uniqueness of content
• Significant lack of duplication with other electronic resources
• Relative completeness of content and frequency of updates
• Relevance of subject covered to the library's intended audience
• Fills a gap in the library's collection
• Education purpose with scholarly style and tone
• Resource is requested/suggested by a patron
• Favorable product reviews from reputable sources and/or other subscribers 
• Cost of resource and ability to sustain this continued cost. 

UX/UI

• Provides personalization features
• Ability to print, save, email results, and cite sources
• Well-designed interface and intuitive functionality 
• Interface adheres to responsive-design for smartphones and tablets
• DRM-Free Ebooks

Access

• Provides institution-wide access and unlimited simultaneous users
• Remote access via EzProxy/IP Authentication 
• OpenURL Compliant 
• MARC Records available 
• Can be indexed in our discovery layer
• Well-designed interface and intuitive functionality 
• ADA compliance 

Admin

• Stable consistent access (includes links that work)
• Provides usage statistics that are COUNTER compliant 
• Responsive vendor customer service and technical support, as well as useful help guides
• Vendor's reputation and their ability to keep abreast of industry standards and trends for e-resources

Given the financial, instructional, and maintenance implications required to provide electronic resources, subscriptions are reviewed periodically to ensure they continue to meet the original selection guidelines and expectations. Criteria for canceling a subscription include:

• Usage statistics are consistently low, and remain low, in spite of efforts to market the resources
• Considerable increase in cost of resource, especially without any corresponding increase in content or improved functionality
• Significant access issues
• Outdated interface and lack of functionality 
• Duplicated content is found in other electronic resources
• A better resources becomes available, with a superior interface, more affordable cost, and other key improvements
• Serve and repeated vendor problems

*Updated August 19th, 2020